Eclipsed Affairs
by freauxkie
Summary: A collection of short stories of all the sun and moon ships that I personally wanted. Some (most) of these may contain sexual references/themes, language and other more adult content.
1. Tears of Poseidon

The rain never seemed to cease, did it? Any other day, it wouldn't bother her—she usually welcomed the change, aside from the usually hot weather that surrounded the four islands. Aside from the cooler temperatures in the areas surrounding Mount Lanakila, it was always hot, always sunny, and always humid. That's why she moved around so frequently; she never stayed in one place for very long. But even here in Po Town, it seemed to be nothing but dread, nothing but the continuous rain, and the claps of thunder.

This place used to be a paradise.

She remembered the Po Town of days past—where Alola's most privileged and successful stayed in the large and sprawling houses. It was a perfect little community and one could see for miles. Now, there was nothing but four walls that surrounded the area. What were once pristine homes were now abandoned and crawling with Team Skull's grunts and their pokémon, the walls covered in graffiti and dirt. The sun nor the moon ever shone here...not through those thick black clouds. It was a wonder how anyone knew the time of day around these parts.

Her room was a refuge. She kept her space in the lone mansion at the end of the town clean. Her mother would have never heard of her daughter being unkempt. She could hear her mother even now; _"A tidy home makes a tidy life, and a tidy life makes you a tidy wife, Plumeria. Don't ever forget that!"_ She wondered where her mother and father were now. Maybe somewhere in Unova, where the woman was originally born. Maybe they returned back to Black City, living a life similar to what they had here in Po Town...before the Skulls came and messed everything up.

She honestly began to forget what made her want to join this Arceus-forsaken team. They weren't shit compared to the teams Plumeria read about in the public libraries. They weren't as ruthless as the Rockets, or environmentally motivated as Team Aqua or Magma. Maybe they had a slightly more balanced leader than those who headed Galactic and Plasma...but in her eyes, they just didn't compare to any of them, not even the bumbling Flares. They were all just punks off the dirt roads of Alola...nothing but a bunch of stupid kids led by two stupid adults.

"Hey! Big sis!" She heard some knocking on her door, and her eyes slowly closed as she pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose.

She sighed slowly and looked over her shoulder. "What do you want, DJ?" The youngest and newest Skull Grunt came bursting through Plumeria's door as if a fire had been lit under him. His blue hair was disheveled and his brown eyes were widened with worry. "And where are your contacts, boy? I swear..." She stood up from her desk and strolled over towards him.

"I'm sorry, ma'am. I forgot about putting them in," The young man seemed to tremble in her presence, and she shook her head quickly.

"Whatever, we're in Po so you don't need them in, I guess. But what's got you so shaken? You look like you've seen a Gengar," She subtly teased.

"It's the boss, big sis. He's...he's not getting any better. I'm scared for him," The grunt explained, and her jaw steeled as she stared down at him.

"I will come see him in a moment. Go down to the kitchen and make him some lunch," She ordered.

"We're out of food," The young grunt countered.

"Then go to Malie City and get some food. Have Asia and Marcus go with you," She said, and he nodded before he left the room in an instant.

She looked towards her window and she sighed as another flash of lighting seemed to fill her room with more light. The rumbling of thunder came soon after before she spoke softly to herself. "Damn it, Guzma..."

It had been perhaps a month since the team's boss had returned from the incident that rocked Alola to the core. The Aether Foundation was brought to its knees—several employees were summoned to the courts and were locked away. Plumeria gained immunity and a plea bargain for herself and Guzma through a powerful lawyer that doubled as an undercover Skull Admin, but President Lusamine wasn't as lucky. Once her daughter was able to bring her back to suitable health, she was summoned back to the islands from Kanto and was given a heavy sentence. That poor little Lillie...she had suffered so much to save that mother of hers, just to watch her be put in prison.

But none of that seemed to matter to Plumeria at this point, not at all. She had a somewhat civil relationship with Gladion so she felt some sympathy for he and his sister's dreadful situation. But nothing worried her more than Guzma's failing health. Both mentally and physically, the 'Big Bad Guy' had seen better days.

Plumeria could distinctly remember when Guzma was taken in by her parents—he was some kid shipped in from Johto's child protective services after his parents were murdered in a freak accident while they explored the burned tower in Ecruteak City. Seeing as Plumeria's mother had developed a condition that slimmed her chances of pregnancy down to none after having her daughter, the parents decided to take in the boy who was in Alola in an exchange program at the Pokémon School on Melemele Island.

From day one, Guzma was a problem—always thinking he was the toughest in the entire region, he picked fights with every kid he could, wanting to show his strength. He barely made it through the school's curriculum, and once it came time to pick a new generation of Alolan Captains, Guzma was swiftly rejected. The Kahuna at the time felt that he was too out of control. Not too long after that, Guzma became a more dangerous person that not even Plumeria's parents could tolerate. Once he was old enough, he was kicked out of the home.

When Guzma and Plumeria saw one another again, it was years later. Guzma was at that point a 19-year-old delinquent that caused trouble all around Alola. Meanwhile, Plumeria was going to the local Pokémon University with plans to intern for the Aether Foundation. Plumeria always had a soft spot for Guzma however, and the two stuck together like peas in a pod, just like when they were children. She remembered the day he told her about forming Team Skull:

 _"Aren't you tired of all these adults tellin' us what to do, Plu'? Ain't it time we take our destiny for ourselves? I mean, I think even the Guardians would agree! It's time we shake some shit up!"_

Plumeria believed in Guzma. She didn't know why she believed him, and she didn't know how he convinced her—but she believed in him. She'd follow him to the end of the earth. So she dropped everything she knew and loved to start the team with him. Now here they were years later...with nothing to show for it. Only Arceus knew what exactly the future could have held for Plumeria and maybe even Guzma himself if they had never started Team Skull. So much regret...so much resentment...

Most of Plumeria's problems with Guzma these days wasn't because of him, but because of Lusamine. That little bitch—she was nothing but a user, and no matter what anyone said, Plumeria only wished the worst for that woman. She wasn't even sure how the former President even knew of Guzma's existence, but she remembered the Aether employees coming to Po Town to ask for his presence at the Paradise.

She remembered walking through those sterilized, perfect corridors with Guzma as Lusamine gushed about how she heard that Plumeria's boss was the best bug user in Alola, and how his strength was needed to protect Alola's Pokémon from the evil clutches of humans. Guzma didn't care that he was being used as a rouse, and that the team he so proudly mantled was going to be the scapegoat for the woman's plans—he was happy that someone thought of him to be strong.

Then he just _had_ to fall in love with the miserable old wench. She was technically a widow, sure, but any day her husband would likely return. She couldn't bear to think of the many nights the mansion was void of Guzma's boisterous laughter as he watched his games on PSPN...knowing that he was at the Paradise, in Lusamine's bed, doing things that not even the walls would want to repeat if they could speak...

And now, he was sick. Mentally, emotionally, physically...he wasn't the man that Plumeria grew up with, the man she stood by in this rainy, dreary town. She was pissed about it. But she knew no one else was here to take care of him. No one else would, even if they were.

She finally walked out of her room and walked down the hallway towards the balcony, carefully scaling the roof to get towards Guzma's bedroom. Once she turned the knob, she opened the door to see the man lying where she had last left him.

The man laid idly in the brass bed, his t-shirt and grey sweats being the only thing he donned, a far cry from his decked out Skull uniform. His usually wild white locks were pulled into a ponytail, a few tufts of hair framing his face, now gaunter than usual. His eyes were barely opened as he watched an episode about the life of Bewear's on the National Pokégraphic.

"Have you eaten today?" Plumeria grabbed a towel from his dresser and huffed as she managed to dry herself off. "Goodness, why hasn't Michael and Seth moved those damn boxes," She mumbled to herself.

"...I had a beery shake this morning. That DJ made me drink it," Guzma mumbled before he ran a hand over his face.

"Get up," Plumeria walked over to the bed, sucking her teeth as she swatted at his chest. "Get the fuck out of bed, Guzma. Now!"

"What is your problem now? You've been buggin' me all this time!" Guzma groaned as he sat up in bed and eventually got to his feet. She took a survey of his frame and she sighed heavily. "What?! I'd wish you'd just say somethin' instead of huffin' and puffin' like you are," He fussed.

"You're way skinnier than before, G. You're not eating like you're supposed to. I don't ask for much—I ask for you to eat and you won't do that," Plumeria turned around and three her hands up. "But I guess nothing gets done around here unless Lusamine asks you t—..."

Plumeria barely expected Guzma's next move, and was surprised he even had the strength to turn her around and slam her against the wall. His hands tightly gripped her arms as his grey eyes stared deeply into her golden ones. "Don't you _ever_ ," He growled as he squeezed her arms even tighter than before. "Bring her up in my presence, yo. You're skating on thin ice, Plu'," He let her loose, backing up once she shoved him away from her. "That bitch is dead to me. Don't speak on her."

"But did I lie? You haven't even left this room unless it's to shower or shit," Plumeria wasn't one to appear ruffled or angry. Annoyed or irritated was as far as she'd let her emotions go in public and with the rest of the team but with Guzma, he always knew how to bring her to the highest level of anger. "You don't do anything anymore. You're not the Guzma I know!"

"Until you been through what I been through, you don't get to tell me what you know 'bout me!" Guzma's voice was naturally loud, but it seemed to threaten to shake the walls when angered. "You don't know what it's been like—I can't fuckin' sleep without seeing that Ultra Beast in my dreams. I have headaches all the time, and I can barely eat without wanting to vomit. So excuse me for not being a ray of sunshine," He sat back down on the bed.

"Look...I'm sorry, okay? I know it's been hard, but the team needs you," Plumeria tried to reason with the man, but he seemed to not want to hear it.

"What team, Plumeria? Huh? We're nothing now. We weren't ever worth a damn and you know it," The two grew silent shortly after, another crack of thunder resounding through the decrepit home. "The only thing keeping us together is the fact that I didn't desert you guys...but there is nothing left. Our power was backed by Aether...and they're done now that Gladion took over," He explained. "He'll never give us the time of day. Alola knows we're a joke now...we have nothing left. I have nothing left," Guzma's voice seemed to grow quieter as he began to settle within the reality that Team Skull's lifespan was coming to a close.

"Don't...say that," Plumeria slowly walked over to the man before getting down on her knees, sitting between the man's legs. "Remember what you told me when this started? We never say never, unless we're breakin' the rules...that's what you said," She gripped his chin before lifting his head, forcing him to look her in the eye. "We're not over until you say. But I'm telling you to keep trying...if you want, we'll move. I can get us enough money to ship the team over to Kanto, or even Kalos...I know you like the weather there," She chuckled.

"...Why?" Guzma asked.

"Why what?"

"Why are you still here...?" She hadn't seen his expression soften in such a long time. For a moment, he looked like a young boy again. The boy she cherished her time with...the boy she cherished, period. "Anyone else would have left. Hell, some did leave the team after everything. So why you..."

Plumeria felt an intense sense of Déjà vu. She remembered when They first reunited after years of not seeing each other. Guzma found a way to visit her dorm room every night and they talked about the future of Team Skull, and how they'd become the most respected in the region, then the world. _"We'll give Team Rocket a run for their money!"_ He'd say, then laugh that laugh of his. And there was this feeling...a swelling of pride that she felt within the deepest reaches of her soul. She felt it now, even as she sat before a broken man.

"Because it's always been you," She answered simply. Guzma's brow furrowed slowly as he looked down at the woman, and his face softened again before a small smirk crossed his face.

"And I guess...it should have been you from the start," He mumbled.

The knock on the door brought them both out of each other's sole attention, and as Plumeria stood to her feet, Guzma let out an annoyed grunt. "What?" He snapped.

The door opened to reveal DJ, drenched in water as he held out a large paper bag and a large cup with a straw poked within it. "I...I, uh, brought you some food, boss!" He announced. "It's your favorite—Tomato Berry Malasada, and a large Tapu Cocoa. They also had a sale on Castelia-Style Cheesecake," He grinned.

Guzma grunted in amusement and nodded. "Bring it here," He ordered, and the grunt sat it on the bedside table before leaving the room. "I guess that new kid's good for somethin'. He even got me my cocoa," He mused.

"Yeah. I'll leave you to eat," Plumeria dusted off her clothes before she made her way towards the door to leave Guzma in peace.

"Hey, Plu'?" Guzma's voice stopped the woman in her tracks, and she looked back over her shoulder. "I love you...you know that right?" He asked.

She never answered back. She simply left the room and closed the door.

After making her way back to her room, she placed the 'Do Not Disturb' sign on her door before locking it, stripping out of her wet clothes before she dried off her body, sliding on a fresh pair of underwear before sliding on a large t-shirt. She turned off her lamp and was suddenly surrounded by darkness. She wrapped her arms around herself as she walked over to her mattress, sitting down at the end of it before she bit at her bottom lip, sighing before she finally maneuvered herself into bed, Turning towards the wall, she sniffed softly as tears began to well in her eyes.

The shadows from the dim lighting of the window seemed to shed some light upon the desk in her room—sitting on the desk's surface was a photo of Plumeria and Guzma as children. The young bug user held the girl in his arms securely, as if he was protecting her.

"Damn it, Guzma..." A quivered whisper could be heard in the quiet room.


	2. What We Are Made Of

Hey, folks. I see a couple of you enjoyed my first short, and I'm extremely happy about it. I've decided to make this into short story collection instead of putting separate stories, mostly because all that I'm about to put in this collection are a part of the same "universe" that I've created. This particular one isn't as...brooding and angst-filled as the PluxGuz one, but I still hope you like it.

"So, you're the original Oak? That's so awesome! You're way more pale than your cousin," The boy was almost 12 now, and still was as energetic as the day he was born. When his mother had contacted Samuel, she specifically told him that her boy was "a little firecracker," and that he shouldn't be alarmed if the boy came on strong.

Sam was getting older now, and his patience seemed to grow even thicker over the years. He wasn't worried, not for a second. "Well, I'm sure that Alolan sunshine does wonders for his skin," He chuckled.

He and the young boy conversed for at least fifteen minutes before he was given a Kanto PokéDex and his starter pokémon—he chose a Bulbasaur. Sam was told stories of the boy's previous adventures, even noting of finding his grandson on Poni Island, along with his first protégé. They were both at least hitting their mid-twenties now, and it was good to hear that both Blue and Red were well and taking care of themselves.

But long after that, the little boy was on his way. He couldn't delay—he had a date with his best friend that he couldn't miss. He couldn't miss it for the world.

He survived a couple routes and a forest before he had reached Pewter City and his first "gym challenge." Along the way, he caught a Spearow and a Pikachu to accompany his Bulbasaur, and the three walked into the Pokémon Center for the evening.

He noticed the woman with pink hair at the desk, and he grinned as he hurried over to the desk. "Hello! How are you?" He cheerfully greeted before he glanced down and noticed the Chansey standing near her. "Oh wow! You guys have Chansey here too? Awesome!" He exclaimed.

"Oh my, aren't you a ball of energy," The woman giggled as he took out his three pokéballs, sitting it on the tray she provided. "Where are you from, sweetie?" She asked as she passed the tray to Chansey, and the pink helper grinned before she trotted off to the room in the back.

"I'm from Alola," He smiled. "I'm Hau, by the way," He introduced himself.

"Nice to meet you," She nodded. "So I'm sure you've met the other Joys there, too. I should call my cousins more," She shook her head before she chuckled. "You must be going for our gym challenge, huh?" She assumed.

"That's right. I want to get stronger and I heard you guys are the standard," He explained. "Plus, a friend of mine lives here now, and I must visit her soon," He said with a nod.

After Joy healed his pokémon, Hau headed towards one of the lounging couches before he released all three of his pokémon from their respective balls. The mouse pokémon seemed to be a bit shier than most Pikachu that Hau had ever seen—the yellow creature had no interest in anything but curling in the boy's lap, hiding her face from every passing face that wanted to greet or pet her.

Spearow was the polar opposite, however—it was almost too ready to take on any opponent, and even as it ate his food, it picked fun at Bulbasaur, who was a seemingly "old soul" between the three. The two boys seemed to get along fine despite Spearow's bravado.

"Don't you wanna eat, Pikachu? I want you to be big and strong," Hau insisted, and the mouse peeked from her hiding place, her brown eyes shining up at him as she let out a quiet squeak. "I even got your favorite berry. Look!" Hau took out a Pinap Berry from his bag, before he eventually cracked the hard shell open. Pikachu sprung from her curled up position, her semi-heart shape tail bouncing as she hopped on the table to eat the inside of the berry.

"Have you heard about Sun and Moon? I heard Sun made it all the way to Alola's highest peak. They even made a Pokémon League of their own so he could battle it. And he won!" The overheard conversation between two older women made Hau interested, and he subtly eavesdropped as he took out his brush, watching Spearow as he strutted over to be brushed.

"I know! And Moon, I heard she even met their island guardians. And did you hear about that Super Monster thing? She actually helped the international police, I heard," One older woman said to the other.

"That's Kanto kids for you—always making headlines," The two began to giggle. "But I feel so bad for that poor girl...Lillie Aether? I heard she nursed her mother back to health just to have to send her back to Alola. I know she's so lonely in Lavender..."

 _"Lavender?"_ Hau mumbled to himself as he took out his booklet that Sun had put together before he left Alola—it was a pamphlet of sorts, with all the Kanto locations and vital information. He slowly flipped through the pages before he found the proper destination. He read over the page and he furrowed his eyebrows. _Pokémon House? Home for deceased pokémon? Cursed history?_

It wasn't like Hau had never heard of such things—the Hau'oli Cemetery and Memorial Hill back home were places that were considered cursed. Even the abandoned Thrifty Megamart was known for their ghost pokémon. But he still wondered how Lillie was living there of all places. He didn't care, though. He was just ready to see her again, as he promised.

 _"You're coming here? That's amazing!" It was two weeks prior to Hau leaving for Kanto, and he knew how much Lillie hated unorganized visits. "How did you pull that off? The flight to Celadon Airport is so expensive. Even when I brought mother here, it was a heap of cash."_

 _"No worries! I'm actually taking the ferry into Vermilion," Hau announced as he looked back at his Primarina, who was sitting on her large bed in the back of his bedroom. He looked back at his computer before he grinned at the sight of Lillie on his monitor. "Plus, I know Sun's been busy with the league and Moon is doing who knows what these days...you know she's so mysterious," He waved his hand dismissively._

 _"I'm sure she's at the Paradise researching with Wicke and Gladion," Lillie giggled, almost knowingly. "That's all I hear when I call my brother now. Of how much he was wrong about her being annoying," She shook her head slowly._

 _"You're keeping a secret again," Hau frowned, and Lillie's giggle turned into a full on laugh. "Lillie!" His whining tone drew out as she covered her mouth, smiling brightly. "You're such a meanie," He playfully scolded._

 _"It's not a secret, Hau! You're just not thinking hard enough. But I'm so excited about you coming. I even have my first pokémon," She announced. "I can't wait to show you."_

 _"A pokémon?! Of your very own—I'm so happy for you! What is it? Do Kanto have different formed pokémon like here in Alola? I want to know!" He quickly spoke._

 _"I promise I'll tell you everything when you come. But you have to come—you have to promise to come see me soon," She urged._

 _"Oh, I promise!"_

"Pikachu, use your Thunder Shock!" Hau pointed as Pikachu swiftly ran away from the Starmie that was chasing her across the platform stages that bobbed in the water slowly. As she gained enough momentum to push herself in the air, she gathered her strength and allowed the thunderous sparks of electricity to release from the sacs on her cheeks, the attack directly hitting the water pokémon. Before long, the Starmie fell onto one of the stages it was on. It's red jewel slightly flickered, then dulled.

"Starmie is unable to battle," The referee announced. "The victory goes to Pikachu—the winner is Hau from Alola!" He held up the flag towards Hau, and the boy jumped excitedly.

"Pikachu, you did it! That was amazing!" Pikachu ran back to her owner and leaped into his arms. She lovingly rubbed her face into his chest, and he laughed, half-uncomfortably as the slight sparks from her sacs rushed through his body. "Don't hurt me, now! I know you're excited," He laughed. He looked up at the gym leader and he beamed proudly. "That was a great battle, thank you!"

"No, thank _you_ ," The woman had to be within her mid-twenties: hair a gingered orange-red, athletic build, and blue eyes that sparkled like the sea. She reminded Hau of Lana back home, except way more outspoken. "I guess Alolan trainers have finally stepped her game up," She came around the side of the large pool before meeting Hau on his side of the field. Once she got Starmie back into its pokéballs, she attached it back to her waist before placing a badge into the palm of the boy's hand. "Cascade Badge belongs to you, no doubt about it," She smiled.

"This is great—my second badge! This is really cool. Thank you, ma'am!" He bowed before he rushed out of the gym, and into the night. He could smell the cleanliness of the air, and the city was mildly crowded with people as they made their nightly commute. Once he got to the Pokémon Center and healed his team, he was on his way.

He had caught two more Pokemon since he had left Pewter—a Clefairy and an Ekans. Ekans was probably the most independent of Hau's team at the moment, and didn't seem to mesh with any of the others. He just did his job when it was time to battle but aside from that, he didn't want to be bothered. Clefairy, however, was starkly different. She was a diva, and she and Pikachu were becoming close friends. She was dependable and even got that arrogant Spearow to give her some proper respect.

The walk through the mountains was a cherished time for Hau—he felt like he was growing closer with his team every night that they spent within the hills and within the dark cave. Spearow even evolved into Fearow, and with his new form came more arrogance and energy. Bulbasaur had evolved and Ivysaur seemed to be a bit more energetic despite his constant need to be the voice of reason. Hau held off on evolving Clefairy and Pikachu, and the two seemed to be content with that. Ekans seemed to be frustrated with not being in full form, but with Hau's tender care, Ekans began to trust his owner more and more.

After being in the mountains for about four or so days, the team finally arrived in the infamous Lavender Town, seemingly ragged and tired. Unlike other cities, the town held a quieter and more modest air—even with their sprawling radio tower, the place seemed to hold this somber and sobering persona that even brought Hau down some levels on his excitement scale.

As he did in every city he had been to, Hau stopped at the PokéMart to stock up on his items. Then he went to the Center to heal. He asked Joy about Lillie's whereabouts, and the woman seemed to pause before her eyebrows raised. "Oh, Lillie! She may be with Mr. Fuji at the Soul House."

So off Hau went to the small home at the edge of town—it was fairly small, but it seemed to be that as soon as Hau walked inside, he felt this sense of seriousness. He looked around and saw tombstones on the floor in a set of organized rows, and he bit his lip softly as he looked around, seeing pictures scattered on the walls in the style of a scrapbook; he assumed it was a memorial of sorts to fallen pokemon and their owners. He kneeled at one of the tombstones and lowered his head in prayer.

"You, what's your business here?"

Hau popped his head up and noticed a tall and intimidating man that seemed to come from the roped off stairs that led into a lower level at the altar of the house. His long black locks were pulled into a bun, and his silver colored eyes seemed to be piercing into the boy's soul. "Uh...I was j-just—..."

"Well speak up, boy! I hope you aren't here to soil this sacred place," He spoke in an almost threatening tone.

In typical Hau fashion, his defense mechanism of a grin seemed to set in. "No! Never...ha, I was just..."

"Now, now. Jay! Be kind to the boy," And older man chuckled as he also seemed to come from the stairs. "He is probably here on tourism business," The old man seemed to be at least 70 or older, while the man was probably within his 30s or 40s.

"You know I hate tourists, father," The man named Jay argued. "They only come to impose, and take 'selfies' or whatever the hell these kids do these days. I will not allow it," He frowned.

"I'm not here to do that, I promise!" Hau held up his hand in defense. "I only came looking for Lillie. Lillie Aether—do you know her?" He asked.

"Oh!" The older man replied. "The young girl who works with us now. She is at our home, son. Right next door," He smiled as he pointed to his right. "You can't miss it. There may be people there, but don't worry," He said.

"T-thank you," Hau sighed as he bowed to the man named Jay. "I'm sorry, by the way. I only came to look for her," Hau left in a hurry. As tired as he was, as exhausted as he had been—he was so close now. So close to seeing his Lillie again.

Hau found the shelter with no problem, and as he was told by the old man, there were people inside caring for and playing with pokémon. He was amazed at how happy everyone seemed to be, but he was even more taken aback when he saw that Lillie was at the center of it all.

She talked and laughed with a couple of teens who were brushing the tail of a Kanto Ninetales—unlike the ones back in Alola, this one seemed to look almost like a fire fox of some sort. Sun did tell him stories of this particular type of form, but to see it up close was almost baffling. "Li...Lillie?" He called out, and the girl looked up from her work before her eyes widened.

"Oh my goodness—Hau!" She got up at once and hurried to him. The two met each other in a warm embrace, and Hau spun her around as she let out a giggle. "When did you get here? I—wow! I didn't think you'd come," She said.

"A promise is a promise! And plus, you know I had to take on their gym challenge," He laughed, and she grinned as she nodded briefly.

"Oh, yes. Let me see your team! And then I'll show you mine," She bargained.

"Got it!" The two rushed outside so that they could have enough space to show off their partners. Before long, Hau's team of pokémon were now in view. The five stared at the new enviorment with some skepticism. "Everyone, this is Lillie, my old friend. Lil, this is Ivysaur, Pikachu, Fearow, Clefairy, and Ekans," He introduced everyone.

Clefairy was the first to greet Lillie, seemingly elated to see the girl. She hugged Lillie's leg and glanced up with a gleeful grin as Fearow cocked a grin as the girl. "Aw, how sweet are you?" Lillie picked Clefairy up and hugged her. "And you...my, my. What a big fellow," She laughed as Fearow struck a pose with his wings.

Lillie sat Clefairy down on the ground as Ivysaur approached her, slowly extending his vine to "shake hands" with her. "And you must be the dad of the group, I can tell," She chuckled as Ivysaur let out a proud grunt.

Pikachu hid behind one of Hau's legs as she watched Lillie interact, and Ekans hid behind Hau's other leg. Pikachu stared at Ekans with an unsure look, but his eyes were focused upon Lillie still. He noticed Pikachu's glance and he hissed before he used the tip of his tail to nudge Pikachu into the "spotlight." "Oh...hello Pikachu," Lillie greeted, and Pikachu wrapped her tail around herself, covering her mouth. "Are you shy? Don't be scared...I won't hurt you," She insisted.

"Yep. Lillie's the nicest! You'll like her. You too Ekans, go say hello," Hau encouraged.

The two eventually approached Lillie, and the girl kneeled down to gently pet Pikachu's head. "Aren't you just adorable. You and Clefairy are the prettiest little thing I ever seen," Lillie's compliment brought a small smile to Pikachu's face. "And you—well! I can tell Hau is raising you right. I know you're tough," Lillie smiled at Ekans, and he stared back at her before he bowed his head, allowing her to pet him. When she did so, he began to make a sound similar to a purr.

Lillie soon got to introduce Hau to her own "team" of helpers—the Ninetales that she had been grooming before was actually hers. Along with her was her twin Gengar: one boy and one girl. Then, there was her Lapras that hung out on the outskirts of town, swimming around in the water that he enjoyed. For a while, everyone seemed to be wrapped up in getting to know one another and having fun.

Once it got later within the evening, the visitors of the shelter were sent home for the night and Hau and Lillie's pokemon were now all sleeping under the stars in the backyard of the home. The two sat in the kitchen as Lillie prepared some tea. "So, you work at that Soul House, too?" Hau asked.

"Yes. The two men you met were Mr. Fuji and his son...Mr. Fuji," She poured some tea for them both before she began to set the table with their mugs, along with some Moomoo Milk for herself, Sitrus Berries for Hau, and Combee Honey for them both. "They took me in after I had to send mother back to Alola," She explained before she sat down to prepare her own mug of tea.

Hau put some of the berry juice within his tea, along with some honey before he stirred it slowly. "...How have you been since then? I know it's been kind of hard and everything for you," He glanced at his friend as he spoke.

"I have been doing my best to cope. Being with my Pokémon has helped me focus on happier things," Lillie replied, before she took a sip of her tea. "I remember finding them all around Celadon. Poor things—I think they were abandoned. I know the Gengar Twins were for sure, and one wouldn't leave without the other," She explained.

"You've been all the way to Celadon?! That's amazing! Where else did you go?" Hau asked, sitting up in his seat.

"Oh, well...I've kind of been everywhere. I have five badges—I still need to beat Janine, Blane, and the new Viridian Leader, since Blue has left for our islands," She nodded. "Speaking of, when you go back—if you see him, tell him they rebuilt Cinnabar Island finally. It's really pretty. I should take you, since now I have Lapras and can stand a chance against him," She said.

"I'll tell him, if I can even get that far within the Battle Tree," Hau pouted before he chuckled to himself. "I can't believe how strong you've become, Lillie. I'm really proud of you," He said.

"You're sweet," She chuckled as she stood up, putting away all of the items before she sat her now empty mug into the sink. "Help me with these dishes?" She looked over her shoulder.

Hau stood up and walked towards the sink, standing next to Lillie as she made some soapy water to wash with. She began to wash, and Hau would rinse and leave them on the drying rack. Everything went smoothly until their hands brushed against one another. Both of them flinched, and they looked over at each other before a blush crossed Lillie's face. Hau, despite his laugh, was blushing too.

"Hush," Lillie scolded, and Hau's laugh filled the room with more volume. "Hau!" She whined. "You are keeping secrets, as you'd say," She sighed.

"It's not a secret, Lil. You know why I'm laughing," Hau rubbed his cheek against hers playfully before grinning.

"Oh. Do I?" Lillie's tone became teasing, and in Hau's prideful glee, he didn't even notice Lillie leaning in until her lips pressed against his cheek. His eyes flew open and his face began to blush once more before he splashed her with some of the water. The two began to laugh.

Outside, the pokémon were still sleeping. The girl Gengar slept peacefully against a small pond of water, and Ekans sat curled on top of her, watching the couple of humans' silhouettes in the window. He slowly closed his eyes as he laid his head against Gengar's body, his tail slowly stroking her skin.


End file.
